What If
by K. Vengeance
Summary: What if Inuyasha was shy and subdued. Would Kagome still meet him, would she even notice him?
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, nor do I own my own collection of Classical Jazz CD's. Some things just aren't fair..  
  
A/N: Hi everyone!!! Ok, this is my first fic, so I'm not sure if I meet the all-mighty goodness standards of fic writing. Please let me know!!!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*If Only They Knew~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
School had always brought new fear and anxiety to the half demon. True, he didn't act or look like anyone else; but was that really cause for daily torment and embarrassment? For so long now Inuyasha had put up with showers of insults and even physical abuse from his peers. "Go back to your human mother, half-breed!" they'd spit the words at him like venom. Inuyasha sighed as he passed by the doorway leading out, leading to his freedom.  
  
"Only a few more weeks," he thought, "then I'll be free. Then I won't have to deal with anyone anymore, then I can be me."  
  
He rounded a corner and almost ran into one of his main bullies. Quickly he dashed down another hall before the insults could reach his ears. All the years of torment had turned Inuyasha into a subdued, shy, self-concious person. Spending most of his time watching, as fellow classmates overlooked him, laughing together and going about their regular lives. He yearned to be a part of them, to be normal. Inwardly he cursed his gene pool. "Why do I have to be different? Why can't I be a full demon like my brother, Ses-shomiro? At least then no one would dare make fun of me."  
  
Awkwardly he stepped into his third period class, his most dreaded class. Everyone looked up expectantly at him as he entered. The teacher gave him a disproving glance.  
  
"Take your seat young man," she scolded "Where have you been, may I ask?" she raised an eyebrow.  
  
Inuyasha was considering answering, "No, you may not ask," but the edge to her voice suggested otherwise. "No where, ma'am," he muttered while taking his seat by the window. The class snickered at him, but he just stared out the window, begging the clock to go faster. As usual, it didn't listen and time dragged on as usual.  
  
When the final bell rang, Inuyasha was the first one to bolt out of the door. When he thought he had successfully made it out of the building without a single harsh comment, he was greeted by his ever-persistent bully, Seato-sune. "Well, well, well, if it isn't our little puppy!" He exclaimed, his friends formed a half circle around the two and chuckled. Inuyasha blushed, but braced himself for the daily mocking. Seato-sune laughed evily and approached Inuyasha.  
  
"What's wrong doggy? Oh! I forgot, you can't speak English. How stupid of me, you're just some dumb mutt." His gang laughed, which only prodded him to go on. He gave a sharp punch to Inuyasha's stomach, causing him to fall to the ground, coughing. Seato-sune lifted his foot about to kick Inuyasha when a girl yelled out "Stop!"  
  
The jeering crowd quieted and all eyes turned to a girl standing a short distance away. She had long black hair and deep brown eyes. A look of pure horror and disgust was on her face as she eyed Seato-sune. He slowly lowered his leg and walked over to her.  
  
"As you wish, m'lady," he sneered and walked off, after turning around to give Inuyasha a "I'll get you later for this" look. Slowly the crown dispersed.  
  
"Are you okay?" Kagome asked as she knelt down to Inuyasha. He blushed, but didn't say anything. A sharp pain ran up his side when he tried to answer, so he just whimpered and nodded.  
  
"What was their problem anyway?" She asked, with a look of pure concern. Who is she and why does she care about me? He though. No one has ever helped me before. Maybe this is a new way to mock me, make me think we're friends, then ignore me in front of the whole school.. "He's such a jerk! Just picking on you because you're...different." She hesitated using that word. Here it comes, he though, she'll be just like the others.  
  
But instead she offered her hand to help him up. Before she knew what was happening he had sprung up and run away. That's strange, she thought, I hope I didn't offend him..  
  
Inuyasha ran the whole way home without stopping. He burst through the doors and took the stairs two at a time reaching the hallway by his room. He went in and plopped down on his bed.  
  
The whole night the only thought he had was of the one girl who helped. The one girl, besides his mother, who cared...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*The End~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A/N: Well...What did you think? Should I continue or give it up for lost? 


	2. Who Is She?

Disclaimer: Oh yeah...I own these characters..ok ok, you caught me.I really don't..but I DO own Seato-sune!!! (  
  
A/N: Thank you so much for replying!! It encourages me to write!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Who Is She?*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Inuyasha woke early the next morning. Good, he thought, it's Saturday. He yawned and stretched, then sat up to look out the window. It was still early, he guessed around 7 because the morning dew had not yet evaporated.  
  
He grabbed his favorite baggy blue jeans and black T-shirt with a faded white peace sign on it. He pulled the shirt over his head and he flew down the stairs. He popped his head in the kitchen and was greeted by the sweet scent of pancakes. "Morning, mom," he said, grabbing a carton of milk from the fridge. He gave her a one armed hug while she tried to stop him from drinking milk from the carton.  
  
"Breakfast is ready, if you want to sit down," she said, giving him a scolding look, causing him to get out a glass and drink from that instead of the jug.  
  
~*~  
  
After breakfast Inuyasha headed for his favorite place in the surrounding woods: the brook. When he was younger, him and his father went on a walk in the woods and discovered a small brook, it seemed like no one had been there for centuries. They called it their "little getaway" spot. His father likes it for the peace and tranquility it provided. Inuyasha liked it because it was one of the few things him and his father shared, just the two of them.  
  
He sat down on a flat rock by the water's edge and dipped a toe in. It was just the right temperature. The water was crisp, but partly warmed by natural hot springs. He tenatively looked around, then stripped off his shirt and pants (A/N: come on sickos, he's got boxers on) and dove in. He relaxed himself by leaning against the edge and dipping his head in.  
  
~*~Flashback~*~  
  
"Are you okay?" Kagome asked as she knelt down to Inuyasha. He blushed but didn't say anything. A sharp pain ran up his side when he tried to talk, so he just whimpered and nodded.  
  
"What was their problem anyway?" she asked, with a look of pure concern.  
  
~*~End Flashback~*~  
  
I know I've seen her before, I just can't remember where, he thought. He touched his side where he had been kicked. Although he was well past healed, the emotional scars were taking their toll. She's one of the first people to ever help me, or even look at me like a normal person. Maybe she's new and doesn't know who I am. But he knew that wasn't true, he had seen her around school. But why couldn't he place from where.  
  
"Kagome!" He shouted, startling himself. He remembered now! She was in his lunch and often sat at the popular table, surrounded by admiring guys. He also sat right next to her best friend, Sango, in geometry last semester. Why would someone like her help.me? He wondered, as he sank into the water.  
  
~*~  
  
Kagome had always liked to explore the woods in her back yard. Last summer, while on a nature walk with Sango, she found a small deserted spring. She loved going there, but since the school year was ending, she hadn't had much time. So she decided to get up early, pack a picnic, and make a day of it, maybe read a book by the shore.  
  
She woke up early that Saturday, put on a bathing suit and a loose shirt and pants, and headed out the door with her basket.  
  
The forest was still, even for the morning. Kagome kept walking and admiring the spider webs with dew and the pattern the sunlight left on the forest floor. She almost tripped over a pair of blue jeans lying on the ground..  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*End~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*  
  
A/N: Duh, duh, DUH!! Hopefully I'll update soon, what did ya think? 


	3. The Demon in the Pond

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, except Seatosune. I do own a really cool...wait.,...nope. I forgot it's my sister's not mine...nevermind..  
  
A/N: Okay, sorry for dissapearing off the face of the earth, but I had a lot of homework and crap to do, but I'l try to write more, If you want me to!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*The Demon in the Pond~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kagome caught her foot on something and almost tripped, "Oh!" she said, then quickly covered her mouth when she saw what it was she had tripped on - someone's old shirt and pants. She carefully picked up the shirt and inspected it. It looks like a guy's shirt, she though, but who'd be here? No one knows about this place but me. She sat down on a nearby log, eventually curiosity got the best of her and she peeked around the bushes to see who it was.  
  
Just then she heard a male voice yell her name. She jumped up, surprised. I didn't think anyone knew I was here? She got up quickly and ran back to the path to her house.  
  
She groaned onto the ground breathless and groaned. She was shaking from exhaustion and fear. "Who was that and how did they know I was there? I wonder how they knew about my pond? I thought no one knew about it. She wiped her forehead and gasped. Not until then did she realize she was still clutching the shirt.  
  
"Great! Just what I need! Now I have a shirt from an annonymouse, potentially dangerouse, person. How am I supposed to give this back? And what will they do when I do give it back? How am I going to explain this to them?!" She shouted, then turned at the sound of snickering behind her.  
  
Sango stood with a hand on her hip and the other over her mouth, holding in a laugh. Whatever Kagome was talking about, the fact remained that she looked nuts yelling at herself. "W-What are y-you doing?" She asked, through laughes.  
  
Kagome gave her one of those "this is serious and I need your help" looks she was so famous for. Sango braced herself, she knew whatever Kagome was about to say really wasn't anymore drastic or serious than cooking your breakfast eggs a little too much.  
  
Her friend held up an old, black t-shirt and shook it at her. Sango looked at the shirt with an apraising look, then to her friend with a raised eyebrow. "Is this supposed to mean something to me?" She asked, trying to make sense of it all.  
  
Kagome looked flustered and rushed into her story. Once she had finished she waited for her friend to reply, or give her some advice. But Sango just stood there with an expression that makes you doubt your sanity.  
  
"Well, ther's only one thing we can do. We have to go back there and return this poor guy's shirt." Sango said, and grabbed for Kagome's arm.  
  
"No!" Kagome shouted, and pulled away, "What if he's some derranged madman just waiting for us to come back so he can kill us and eat our remains!"  
  
"I'm sure some guy is just waiting in the forest naked hoping some unsuspecting girls will just happen to walk by so he can pounce on them to fulfill his crazy fantasies." Sango said and crossed her arms.  
  
Her friend looked down at the shirt, then back into the woods, then sighed. "Do you really think we should go back? I mean, how will we explain it? I don't want them to be angry." She twisted a piece of her long raven hair around her pointer finger.  
  
Sango looked and her and rolled her eyes, "Come on and stop being such a scardy cat!" The two girls laughed then headed back into the woods.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~The End~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: Please let me know if you like it!!! 


	4. A Walk in the Woods

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. Except Seato-sune. He's mine. MINE!!! My own, my precious..  
  
A/N: So, so, sorry I haven't written for awhile. Been really busy with the holidays and all...I have my next few chapters planned out, but I have yet to write them.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*A Walk in the Woods~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A strip of sun ran across his face, waking him from his sleep. He groaned and rolled over, but it was too late. A robin had caught his ear and it's relentless chirping was keeping him from dazing back to sleep.  
  
Sessho-maru rolled onto his back and stretched. Today was the day! He was going to see Inuyasha! He hadn't seen his little brother for nearly 3 months. He left after a huge fight him and his sibling had had over their father's death. Then when father had decided to hide his grave in the half- demon's eye and not his own, his pure blood eye, that was the last straw. But after his absence he figured it really didn't matter. Inuyasha was his brother, and he shouldn't let a little thing like that stand in the way of years of brotherly bonding.  
  
He stood up and let his snowy hair cascade over his bare back. He quietly padded out of the room, slinging his bag over his shoulder and he left. With a glance in the caretaker's room, he slipped out of the inn into the drizzly morning air. Homeward bound, he started down the winding, dusty road curving into the mountains.  
  
~*~  
  
"I really don't see this as necessary. I mean, it's just a shirt. It's not like he'll have any emotional attachment to it. Right?" Kagome asked, in a feeble attempt to weasel her way out of returning the shirt.  
  
Sango looked at her, rolled her eyes, and gave her a playful push. "Would you like it if you were taking a refreshing dip in the pond and someone came and stole your shirt?" It wouldn't be a very pleasant walk home," Sango said, with a hint of sarcasm, but a mask syrupy concern.  
  
"Alright, fine. I see your point. I just don't want to have to explain that I 'came here for a swim and found your shirt and was so frightened that I ran off with it before realizing I had it.'" Kagome said, picking her way through the trees.  
  
They got to the spot where she had found the shirt. Kagome breathed in then let the air slowly (and loudly) exit her mouth. She shrugged her shoulders to add more to the dramatic effect. Then she looked at Sango with one last "please, let's not do this" look, before moving aside the bushes.  
  
~*~  
  
Inuyasha tensed up. Someone was near. He sniffed the surrounding air, but could only smell pine and fresh water. He eased back into the water, his muscles still rigid, waiting.  
  
He didn't have to wait long. His ears gradually picked up the noise of someone ambling through the forest - in his direction. Inuyasha leapt out of the water, and with cat-like speed he dashed to his clothes. He threw on his pants and was rummaging in the underbrush for his shirt when he heard two voices-  
  
"I just don't want to explain that I came here for a swim and found your shirt and was so frightened that I ran off without realizing I had it." Well, that explained a lot, Inuyasha thought. He quietly jumped up onto a tree limb to observe the intruders from above. It was two girls. Both had long black hair and the shorter, younger looking one was carrying his shirt.  
  
He watched as the thief looked around the bushes and gasped when she realized he was gone. She flopped to the ground in frustration, "Now what are we going to do?" She asked; the older girl just shook her head and sat down next to her. It was then that Inuyasha recognized the scent. His face flushed a red as deep as his pants. He coughed in surprise, causing him to lose balance and fall to the forest floor with a loud snap - BOOM!  
  
~*~  
  
Kagome and Sango jumped up and screamed. A white and red blur came plummeting towards them and had landed a short distance away. They looked at each other, then tentatively went over to see what it was. When they got closer, they realized it was a human boy. Knowing they couldn't just leave him there, they went to help him.  
  
"Well, he doesn't look to be hurt, and he's still breathing. That's a good sign right?" Kagome said, trying to be cheerful, but unable to hide the shock and fright in her voice.  
  
Gingerly she leaned over him and rolled him onto his back. She gasped and jumped upward away from him.  
  
"What is it?!?" Asked Sango, panic rising in her voice. "What's wrong with him?"  
  
Kagome said, "He's that boy I was telling you about. The half-demon Seato- sune was picking on!" Just then Inuyasha stirred and sat up.  
  
"Wha..What's happening?" he said, still groggy. Kagome slowly went over to him and said, "You fell from a tree."  
  
He looked her in the eyes and for a moment she could see pain in them. Though, not from falling from a tree. For the first moment, she saw the real him. Then he seemed to get his bearings because his face had a look of shock and horror. He picked up his shirt and ran as fast as he could home. "Thanks!" He called out, before disappearing.  
  
"Well..that was weird," Sango said, breaking the uneasy silence that had filled the woods.  
  
Kagome sighed from exhaustion and lay down onto the ground.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~The End~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
What did ya think? Sorry it's been so long! I just want to let you know that you reviewers are the BEST! ))))))))))))mental hug(((((((((((((  
  
Please let me know if you have any questions or anything! 


	5. Why Does He Keep Doing That?

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters (with the exception of Seato- sune).  
  
A/N: Happy Holidays!...Soon...so close, yet so far..  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Why Does He Keep Doing That?!?~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kagome flopped onto the forest floor. Looking at Sango she said, "Why does he keep doing that?!?"  
  
"Maybe he's just shy around girls," Sango said.  
  
"No. He did this at school that one day, remember? There was a whole crowd of people there," Kagome said, getting frustrated. She found a twig on the ground and started peeling off the outer bark.  
  
"Well.maybe he just doesn't like people," offered Sango.  
  
"Who hates everyone? No one can go around hating people, it's impossible! People are everywhere! He'd have to be a hermit to escape, and I didn't see him living in any caves." By now the twig was completely shaved. Kagome broke it in half and threw it aside.  
  
"There's no sense in worrying about it now. We came here to go swimming didn't we? So let's go have fun and prepare ourselves for summer, only 2 weeks away!" Sango said, pulling her friend up.  
  
Kagome smiled and went to her bag. At least for the day I can put him out of my mind, she thought, and ran to push Sango into the water.  
  
~*~  
  
Out of breath, Inuyasha stopped just short of the path that ran through the woods. Why the hell does this keep happening to me?!? He thought. Why can't I just be left alone? Is it not enough that I'm rejected at school, and everywhere else, I have to be mocked in my own sanctuary?  
  
Inuyasha jogged along the path to a clearing on a hill that overlooked the forest. In the distance he could see his house, sitting proudly amidst the surrounding grasslands. Something fast moving caught his eye. He turned his head and his jaw dropped.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Inuyasha asked, more surprised than angry.  
  
"Hello, little brother," Sessho-maru said, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He moved forward and gave Inuyasha a swift hug.  
  
"Do-does mom know you're here?" Inuyasha asked. He knew that in his mom's current state, news like this would surley put her in the hospital.  
  
"No, I wanted you to be the first to greet me home. How have things been?"  
  
"You mean in the last 3 months since you've been gone. Oh, you know, funerals, taking care of mom, school, and a little thing called peer pressure. You?" Inuyasha instantly put up a mental wall. He knew his brother hadn't come home just for fun, he wanted something. Well, he wasn't going to get it. The half-demon was tired of the constant mocking and beatings. He was tired of coming home to a mom who's basically dead from the grief of losing her husband. At least she tries to put on a strong front for me, he thought.  
  
Sessho-maru turned, "Look, I didn't come home to fight. I cam home to fix my wrongs. Will you at least give me a chance?"  
  
Inuyasha snorted, "It'll take you a hell of a time to fix your mistakes.But I guess I'll give you a chance. I swear, if you do anything to push mom farther off her rocker, you'll pay." Then he turned and left.  
  
When Inuyasha was out of earshot, Sessho-maru said, "Indeed, little brother, you've grown stronger, and more foolish." Then he headed off to his home, laughing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~The End~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: I'll try to write more often, especially over the upcoming break, but I'm having a little mental block. Happy Holidays!! 


	6. Stupid Furball

Disclaimer: I swear I don't own, nor have I ever owned, these characters, with the exception of Seato-sune. He is my one and only. My creation, my LIFE!!! Not really, but almost...  
  
A/N: Thanks for your reviews!! I'm having a patch of free time so I'm trying to write as many chapters as I can. If you have any ideas, let me know so I can attempt to get over this brain blank I'm having..It's all because of school. clouding my mind..stopping me from what really matters, writing good and pure fanfics!!! Bless you fanfic god!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Stupid Furball! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Inuyasha stormed into the kitchen and made a be-line for the livingroom, where he found his mom sitting on the couch eating a Hershey's bar and watching "Days of our Lives."  
  
"Hey mom, I just wanted to forewarn you that we may have some unwanted company for awhile," he said, avoiding her eyes.  
  
She looked up at him, "What do you mean?" she asked, still in the mindset of her afternoon drama.  
  
Just then the front door eased open and the room suddenly grew colder. Inuyasha seemed to see everything in slow motion. He saw Sessho-maru enter the house and stare at the two of them on the couch. He saw his mother turn white and her Hershey's bar drop to the floor. He felt her grope for his hand and grip it with terrifying ferocity. All the while the soap opera droned in the background.  
  
"Hello, mother, you're looking well," Sessho-maru said, sneering. He bent down to give her a hug. She tensed but didn't make a move to hug him back.  
  
"Welcome home, son," was all she said.  
  
Protectively, Inuyasha moved in front of his mom and let her hold onto the fabric in the back of his shirt.  
  
Sensing the tension, Sessho-maru stepped back a bit. "Well, I just stopped to say hello. I suppose I shall retire to my hotel room now. I'll be back tomorrow to catch up. Shippo!" he called over his shoulder. A small foxlike creature appeared at the door with a heavy looking bag.  
  
"Yes, Sessho-maru?" he asked. By the sound of his voice he was still a child.  
  
"Get out the package in the side pocket, will you?" Sessho-maru said, with cool indifference. Just like him not to care that he's enslaved a child, thought Inuyasha. He felt bad for the pup, deprived of childhood pleasures. No one should have to work under that heartless beast, the minute there's trouble Sessho-maru will gladly sacrifice the small fox to save his own hide, Inuyasha thought with disgust.  
  
Shippo pulled out a small wrapped box and nearly dropped it. Sessho-maru yelled, "Stupid furball!" and clubbed him on the head. The demon then picked up the small package and handed it to his still pale mother. "I picked this up and thought you'd like it," He said, as she unwrapped a delicate silver necklace with a purple stone pendant. It was exquisitely beautiful, even in its simplicity.  
  
"Thank you, Sessho-maru, that was very thoughtful," she seemed to have regained some of her strength and gotten over the shock.  
  
With a quick nod Sessho-maru went through the door, with Shippo following closely on his heels. When the door shut, Inuyasha sat down next to his mom. She looked at him, moaned, and fainted.  
  
Stupid bastard, thought Inuyasha, why now?!?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*The End~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A/N: Thanks for the reviews!! Shout out to poohsbestfriend. Thanks for pointing that out to me! I will be more careful from now on. I also know I have a few gramatical errors and end up repeating myself in some of the phrases of the earlier chapters. I was up really late that night and forgot to click on spell check. Thank you!! 


	7. Summer

Disclaimer: All I want for Christmas is Inyasha show rights.no? Well, maybe next year. What's that? I have the rights to Seato-sune? Yippy!  
  
A/N: Enjoy and read slowly.that way it seems longer. (  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Summer~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~  
  
The last few days of the school year dragged on. What made it worse was looking out the window. The bright blue sky, lush, springy grass, and blooming trees were enough to make anyone cooped up inside go crazy. Which was exactly the state at Kagome's high school. She was finding it hard to let keep her eyes from straying to the window, let alone listen to the teacher. Finals were over, and there was really no point for her to still be in school.  
  
"The teachers should know it's useless to try to cram any other knowledge into our heads, my brain is on vacation!" Kagome said to Sango, after the last period. "Only 3 days left!!" she squealed. Both girls rushed to the doors leading outwards.  
  
"Crap! I forgot my algebra book! Just go, I'll catch up," Kagome told her best friend as she headed back into the school. She walked down the deserted hallway to her locker. Suddenly a chill ran up her spine and she looked around to be greeted by none other than Seato-sune.  
  
"Hello, Kagome," he said, his voice eerily calm. 43-27-11, she repeated to herself. She opened her locker and it was immediately slammed shut by Seato-sune. "Where's your puppy? Or did you get bored with him and put him to sleep?" He laughed maliciously.  
  
43.  
  
"You know, I didn't think you liked animals, but I guess all girls do. But honestly, Kagome, you can do better than hanging around with that scrawny rat Inuyasha."  
  
27.  
  
"What's wrong? Don't like it when people make fun of your boyfriend? Or do you just not like hearing about that useless piece of half demon space either?"  
  
She calmly reached into her locker and took out her book. Just as she was about to close her locker, a hand grasped her wrist. "Let go!" she shouted and tried to pull free. He only tightened his hand and leaned in right next to her ear. She could feel his hot, sticky breath on her neck and it made her gag.  
  
"Just remember this you little bitch, if I ever catch you near him again, you can say goodbye to your perfect little life..Now, there are ways we can avoid a nasty little fight." He leaned down and kissed her neck.  
  
"Why would I want to be with a bastard like you?" she whispered and slammed her locker door, catching his hand in it. Then she ran leaving his insults behind.  
  
"You stupid bitch! I'll kill you!" she burst through the main doors and into the afternoon light. Instantly Sango was by her side. Kagome flung herself into the protection of her best friend's arms, sobbing.  
  
"Shh. it's okay." Sango said patting her back. She led Kagome to a bench under a nearby tree. "Now, what happened?" She asked gently. Kagome told her about Seato-sune. When she was done Sango stood up with a look of furious disgust. She started off towards the school, but Kagome caught her arm and said, "Beating him up won't solve anything. It'll only make it worse. I know he was just trying to scare me, and I know I should forget it, but Sango, it really worked." Once again tears rolled down her face. She held back her crying and looked to her friend for guidance.  
  
Sago sat down next to her best friend.  
  
~*~  
  
Once school ended Inuyasha headed straight for the doors. As soon as he was outside he bounded over to a nearby tree to read his book. No sooner had he settled in than a noise caught his ears. He straightened up, straining to hear. He could faintly make out Seato-sune's voice yelling at someone. Poor person, Inuyasha thought, I know what that's like. But worried for the victim, he decided to go investigate.  
  
Silently he lurked through the school following the voice. He rounded a corner and quickly re-rounded it. He found his target. Seato-sune had some girl pinned up against a locker and was yelling at her.  
  
"What's wrong? Don't you like it when people make fun of your boyfriend? Or do you not like hearing about that useless waste of half demon space either?" Inuyasha tensed up.  
  
"Let go!" the girl yelled, her voice sounding familiar.  
  
"Just remember this, you little bitch, if I ever catch you near him again, you can say goodbye to your perfect little life.Now there are ways we can avoid a nasty little fight." Inuyasha clenched his fists.  
  
"Why would I want to be with a bastard like you?" she said, barely audible. Then he heard a locker slam and the satisfying crunch of hand in locker. "You little bitch, I'll kill you!" Seato-sune said as she escaped out the door.  
  
Just then Inuyasha's anger erupted. He knew that scent. It was Kagome's.  
  
Then it was if a great weight had been lifted. Inuyasha found his mind clear of the worries of the past week. He felt stronger and calmer. He felt powerful.  
  
~*~  
  
Seato-sune rounded the corner, and seeing the object of his anger, quickly advanced towards him. He stopped a few feet in front of Inuyasha and shouted, "You bastard! How dare you listen in on my conversation! Do you think you're tough now? Huh?! Or are you too afraid to say anything? Gonna run home and cry to your whore mother? Or how about to that bitch Kagome?" A low laugh escaped Inuyasha's throat.  
  
"Something funny? " Seato-sune asked, advancing closer. For the first time Seato-sune was scared. Inuyasha just stood there looking down. Seato- sune noticed something pecular, then realizing what it was, stumbled back. Inuyasha's eyes were blood red. With lightening fast speed Inuyasha tore Seato-sune's shirt to shreds.  
  
Seato-sune went running, but before he left, called over his shoulder, "I'll get you for this! You and your whores!" Before he had even finished the sentence Inuyasha's hand was around his throat.  
  
"Never..come near me or my family again." he whispered, then dropped the pathetic human to the ground. Seato-sune got up and ran away, turning back occasionaly to glare at Inuyasha.  
  
~*~  
  
Raw power, and not a care at all! This was the best feeling in the world!  
  
Unexpectedly it was like Inuyasha had jumped from the top of the school, and was just now hitting the pavement. He fell to the ground coughing. What happened? He thought, rubbing his head. He vaguely remembered Seato- sune and Kagome.Kagome! Now it all came to him in a tidalwave.  
  
"Very good, little brother. I didn't think you had it in you," Inuyasha turned to see the smiling face of his brother. "You may be a demon yet."  
  
~*~  
  
Kagome fell onto her bed and rubbed her neck. She could still feel the place where poison had kissed her. She spat out her window then fell on her bed again. Stroking her cat, she thought about the event of the day.  
  
"So what if I don't mind being around Inuyasha?" she said aloud. "He's a perfectly nice boy and I don't see a problem with him. What's wrong with being half demon anyway? After all, he is half human too!" Her cat jumped off the bed and went into the hall way.  
  
"He's such a disgusting piece of crap! Thank god school is almost out, then I won't have to deal with him for three glorious months!" She yelled then sat up. But then I won't see Inuyasha either. What if something happens to him over the summer? Stupid Seato-sune! Why can't he just leave him alone? She thought miserably, her temporary good mood gone.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*The End~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A/N: Thanks "Kitty" helpful criticism is.well.helpful.Sorry for making my chapters so short, but I can't write for long periods of time or else I get repetative and boring. So I try to write short chapters, and multiple chapters all at once.  
  
Dear Randomunit02, You're feeble threats do not work on me! BWA HA HA! So stop trying to scare me.now.or else..please?  
  
Hey! Can anyone tell me Inyasha's mom's name?!?! 


	8. Feelings

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, except Seato-sune. Nor do I own the song that's Lifehouse's privilege.  
  
A/N: Hey guys!! What's up? Me? Well, I'm good. Looking forward to break. Yeah, I had this big test in biology today and I think I did really badly. It was on the circulatory system. What? O! Sorry, I forgot this was a fanfic.(sheepishly backs into corner)  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Feelings~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A slight breeze blew across her face. Kagome sprang up. How could she have fallen asleep? She ran to her closet and threw on a knee high black skirt and a pink tank top with a flower in red beads on it on. She checked herself in the mirror, applied some eyeliner and lipgloss, and then headed out the door. Before leaving she slipped on some pink flip-flops and slung a black leather jacket over her shoulder.  
  
She had been so worn out from that afternoon she had fallen asleep and was now running late for her school's annual end-of-the-year dance. She met Sango coming up the driveway.  
  
"What took so long? I was getting worried," Sango said, looking at Kagome.  
  
"I.uh.fell asleep.," Kagome said, blushing.  
  
"What?!? Weren't you the least bit excited for tonight?" Sango said, very surprised.  
  
"Well, no. I know Seato-sune will be there, and it'll be dark.he might try something."  
  
"Don't tell me you're letting him win? Honestly! This is just what he wants. He's a terrorist, and the point of terrorists is to make you afraid to do daily activities," Sango said, trying to calm her friend.  
  
"I know. and I don't like dances. It's just an excuse for guys to press up against girls by the pop machines. The music is usually bad too. and then we get swamped by Miroku and his friends." at the mention of Miroku's name, Sango smiled shyly. "Oh. I forgot, you like that perverted little." Kagome said trailing off.  
  
"I can't help it. I know he's perverted, but there's something about him. I just can't stop thinking about him." For the first time Kagome noticed Sango's outfit. She was wearing a red spaghetti strap dress that went down to her knees and was dotted with black sequins, tall black boots, and her long hair was in an elegantly messy bun in the back of her head, adorned with red clips. She had a thin-chained silver necklace on with a red jewel pendant. Her best friend looked beautiful, with her natural red lips, well- defined neckline, and slim figure. To sum it up, she was dressed to kill.  
  
"Sango! You look amazing! When did you get this dress?" Kagome asked, amazed.  
  
"My mom and I picked I up last month at the mall," It was obvious she had been planning this for awhile.  
  
"Come on, let's not be any more late," Kagome said, hooking her arm in her friend's.  
  
~*~  
  
Do this Shippo, don't touch that Shippo, stupid furball, you wouldn't be alive if I weren't helping you, remember that. All day long Shippo heard these comments from Sessho-maru; and every day he hated him more. "Someday I'll be free and then I'll show him whose boss," Shippo thought.  
  
He was sitting outside Sessho-maru's old house while he went inside and talked to his family. He heard someone come up. From the shadows emerged Sessho-maru's brother, Inuyasha. Shippo shrank back. Sessho-maru had said Inuyasha was an evil half demon who pretended to be your friend, but who really had a heart of stone and could turn on you at any minute.  
  
"Why are you out here?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
No reply.  
  
"You can go inside if you want.. Are you hungry?... Can you talk?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"Sessho-maru says you're an evil, heartless, half demon and I shouldn't trust you!" Shippo said, then covered his mouth.  
  
"Did he now? Well, think about this: would you rather trust Sessho-maru, who's probably been nothing but evil towards you, or me. Sure you don't know me, but honestly, do I look evil or heartless? If I were heartless I wouldn't be inviting you inside, or be worrying about what will happen to you when Sessho-maru gets bored with you. It seems to me you have a choice. If I were you, I'd escape as soon as I could. I should know, I had to live with him for 17 years." Inuyasha turned to go back inside. He felt a small tug at his pants. Turning, he saw the small fox staring up at him.  
  
"I - I want to escape.. But I'm scared of what he'll do if I try," Shippo said, looking at Inuyasha with wide-eyed innocence.  
  
Inuyasha bent down to look Shippo in the eyes, " As long as you stick with me kid, he won't do anything to you."  
  
Shippo smiled and wiped his eyes, then he hugged Inuyasha. Taken aback, Inuyasha fell over.  
  
"I don't know what you're going to do now, but I have to go to some stupid school dance. Will you do me a favor?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"Sure," Shippo said, eager to help his new friend.  
  
"Will you keep and eye on Sessho-maru for me, and my mother? I would have stayed, but she's making me go. I just don't want him to try anything, and I know her heart can't take him being here." Inuyasha trailed off.  
  
"Yeah, but I doubt I'll be able to stop him."  
  
"Just come to the school, I'll no doubt be in a corner somewhere." Then Inuyasha got up and left.  
  
I don't know why Sessho-maru said he's heartless, he's the only person who's ever tried to be a friend to me.  
  
~*~  
  
Cray paper, Christmas lights, and loud music was what greeted the two girls at the school.  
  
"I'm surprised," shouted Sango, "It looks like they actually tried to do a theme. I'd think they'd have learned by now that high schoolers don't like themes."  
  
"That's the school board for ya. It's like they don't want to admit that we're older now and don't like themes, or games, or whatever at parties; like we did when we were 8," Kagome said, looking at the underwater decorations.  
  
The girls made their way to a corner and sat in some folding chairs. After a few songs, they decided to get some punch before it was spiked. "Mmm..cherry." Kagome moaned in satisfaction.  
  
A hand on Sango's hip made her jump. She turned to face Miroku and blushed.  
  
"Sango, you look..beautiful." Miroku trailed off, mesmerized by her outfit.  
  
"Is that all?" She asked teasingly.  
  
"Well.no.I mean, you look..absolutely.." he struggled for a creative word, but failed, ".beautiful." She smiled and he took her hand.  
  
"Would you like to dance?" He asked, pleadingly.  
  
"Well.I don't know." Sango said, pretending to reject him. Then he did something completely unexpected. Miroku got down on his knees and begged. "Alright .sure." Sango said, between laughs. She pulled him up and the couple disappeared into the crowd.  
  
Kagome smiled, then went to refill her punch glass. Finding herself with nothing else to do, she made her way back towards her chair in the corner. Her eyes scanned the crowd. Where is he? She wondered. Wait, who am I looking for? I must be looking out for Seato-sune. After all, I have no one else to look for.  
  
Then she knew. At the moment she saw him come through the door, his face flushed, in black pants and a red floppy shirt, she knew. She had been looking for him. He slinked to the wall and made his way to the punch table. Once his thirst was quenched, he looked around. For a fleeting second their eyes met, then he looked away and walked towards the wall again. For a moment she lost sight of him, and searched desperately for him.  
  
~*~  
  
Inuyasha entered the school and immediately his ears were plastered to his head. The music and excess noise was too much. He entered to gym. Great, he thought, now I'm under the sea.  
  
He made his way to the punch bowl and drank some. Then he turned, getting the slight feeling he was being watched. His eyes scanned the crowd, then stopped. There was the culprit, his heart stopped. What should I do, he wondered, she's looking right at me. She looks so pretty just sitting there..What am I thinking? She doesn't like me, she just feels bad for me. But still.  
  
~*~  
  
Miroku was in heaven. In his arms was the most beautiful girl in the whole school, no- the world. Sango actually said yes, he thought. I didn't think she'd say yes to me! He was on an adrenaline rush; excitement, happiness, and contentment were coursing through him.  
  
Sango looked up at him and smiled. Then she shook her hips to the music and continued dancing. He bit his lip to keep from shouting out in joy, and put his hands on her hips.  
  
A slow song came on and the crowd calmed and dimmed their conversations to a murmur. Couples made their way onto the floor. Miroku pulled Sango close to him. Putting one hand on her lower back and holding her other hand, Miroku held her close. She put one hand around his neck and held his other hand, she rested her head on his chest. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, causing her to blush. They swayed to the music.  
  
~*~  
  
Desperate for changing  
  
Starving for truth  
  
I'm closer where I started  
  
Chasing after you  
  
~*~  
  
Kagome watched as all the couples weaved their way onto the dance floor. She spotted Sango and Miroku in the middle, arms around each other. They looked so content and happy. Kagome sighed, oh well, who wants to be that close to some smelly boy anyway. Who am I kidding, I do!  
  
Just then she heard someone whisper her name. Looking around she saw Inuyasha squatted down by her chair. "Oh! Hi Inuyasha, how are you?" she asked, secretly hoping he wouldn't go away.  
  
"Oh. you know.You?" He asked, seeming uncomfortable with the dance scene.  
  
"I'm good, kinda bored. I don't really care for the theme we have in here," she said looking around, "I feel sea sick."  
  
Inuyasha laughed. Her heart stopped. He's got an amazing smile, she thought, trying to recover.  
  
"Listen, Kagome.I really appreciate you standing up for me the other day. You didn't have to do that. Don't feel obligated to, especially after Seato-sune threatened you -"  
  
She cut him off, "How did you know?" she asked, worryingly.  
  
"I heard him yelling at someone in the hall.but anyway, please, don't worry about me. I don't want you getting hurt." His looked away from her.  
  
He cares about me?  
  
~*~  
  
Forgetting all I'm lacking  
  
Completely and complete  
  
I'll take your invitation  
  
You take all of me  
  
~*~ "Inuyasha, would you like to dance?" Kagome asked, not quite sure what gave her the intestinal fortitude to ask. He seemed taken aback.  
  
"Uhh.sure.but I don't know how." Inuyasha said, embarrassed.  
  
She took his arm and led him onto the floor. "It's easy, you just sway back and forth." She said.  
  
Gingerly he placed his hand on her shoulder and held her other hand. She laughed and moved his hands down to her waist. Then she put her hands around his neck and gazed up at him. He blushed and looked off to the side. She put her head on his chest and listened to his rapid heartbeat.  
  
~*~  
  
I'm falling even more in love with you  
  
Letting go of all I've held onto  
  
I'm standing here until you make me move  
  
Just hanging by a moment here with you  
  
~*~  
  
"Kagome." Inuyasha said, but stopped. He just couldn't bring himself to tell her how beautiful she looked, how much he had wanted this to happen.  
  
He rested his chin on top of her head and swayed. As the song ended, they slowly parted.  
  
"Thank you, Kagome," he said, and with that, he left.  
  
He didn't mean to leave so abruptly, but he had seen a small figure bobbing up and down outside the window. He went into the brisk night air and found Shippo sitting there. Immediately he snapped back to reality. "Shippo, what's wrong?" He asked, suddenly worried.  
  
Shippo looked at him and said, "Sessho-maru and your mom were talking then said he was leaving and she just lost it. I mean she really lost it. She started yelling and throwing things saying 'you're always leaving! Why can't you just stay for once and we can be a family, like we were!' I got scared and came to find you." Shippo finished and took a breath.  
  
"Well then, let's go." Inuyasha said, bounding towards home.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*The End~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* A/N: Well, that's it..so far..more later. It's almost Christmas break, then I'll have lots of time!! YAY!  
  
Dear Randomunit02,  
  
Tisk, tisk, tisk. I thought you'd be more careful. You obviously didn't read the threat handbook very carefully. As it states in Sec. 12, para. 101, #389: "Any threats given to any persons, pertaining to a fanfic, should not result, under any circumstances, to violence and harsh words. Never should a threaten-ee get desperate, this only makes the author worried for their life. Thus causing them to go into hiding and not write, en angering the threaten-ee. Or, it causes the author to hastily write and produce a bad fanfic." So states the almighty handbook. I am ashamed of you. 


	9. Blood, Sweat, and Tears

Disclaimer: I only own Seato-sune.  
  
A/N: Hello! And how are we? Good I hope! Well ... enjoy!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Blood, Sweat, and Tears~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kagome watched as Inuyasha sped out of the gym. Feeling rather disheartened, she slumped down onto her chair. 'Did I do something wrong?' she wondered. Then, spotting Seato-sune across the dance floor, she guessed it would be better if she left before he saw her. With a quick glance at Miroku and Sango, she left.  
  
Once outside she heard the frantic voice of a young child, then the concerned voice of Inuyasha. Next she heard rapid footfalls, then it was all silent. She rounded the corner and saw Inuyasha and a small fox-like demon running down the path.  
  
She decided the follow them, worried for whatever problem it was that had made him race off. She ran down the path.  
  
~*~  
  
When I approached the house, I knew something was wrong. It was deadly calm - and quiet. Gingerly I approached the house with Shippo. Even he knew this wasn't right and kept as quiet as possible.  
  
I sniffed the surrounding air and didn't smell any blood, a good sign. Slowly we crept up to the house and looked in the window. The inside of the house was in ruin. Furniture was tipped over or ripped, feathers from the pillows and papers from the counter were strewn all over the floor. The kitchen ceiling light was swinging back and forth. My heart was beating rapidly in my chest. I became worried, and one thought kept running through my mind - where's mom.  
  
As the kitchen light swung back and forth I could see a figure in between the swings. A figure so evil he was the devil incarnate - none other than Naraku.  
  
I spit on the ground and cursed under my breath, but regretted it instantly. The baboon head turned ever so slightly, then he was gone. I ducked down below the windowpane and waited until it was safe the go in. Then I heard a voice. Covering my ears I tried to block it out, but it was no use. The voice was in my head. I grabbed Shippo and held him protectively at my side.  
  
"I see we have a visitor. The mighty Inuyasha," Naraku's voice rang in my ears.  
  
"What do you want you filthy piece of scum?"  
  
A deep rumbling laugh filled the air, "Don't be so foolish, boy. I want your father's grave and your friend, Kagome." My breath stopped. NO! Not now! This bastard may be powerful, but he's not taking my own father's grave from me! I don't know what the hell he wants with Kagome.  
  
"It's very simple, I can get the girl easily, it's the grave I cant' get. Unless you cooperate. You see, I can't get the grave if you're dead, otherwise I'd have had it awhile ago."  
  
"You will never, EVER have my father's grave, and stay the HELL away from Kagome!" I shouted, anger coursing through me.  
  
"You seem to be forgetting something. You have no choice. Haven't you noticed one of your most precious things is missing." Again his laugh filled the air.  
  
My blood ran cold, "Where's my mother, you son of a bitch!" I yelled, jumping up. Shippo dashed into the house.  
  
Frantically I started looking around. "Come out and fight me like a man! Or do you know you'll lose and that's why you have to stoop so low? Come out and fight me!"  
  
Then he appeared, with my mother tied up and gagged- unconscious. At the sight of her like that, I lost it. Once again I felt power rushing through me and all my cares peeling away like onion layers.  
  
I lunged at him and swung my arms everywhere, trying the hit him - hit anything - just to satisfy my need to hurt, to kill. My claws connected with soft tissue and bone.  
  
Naraku lay on the ground, nursing a stump of an arm. Then he reconnected it and with his healed hand shot a blue and silver stream of light at me, causing me to freeze midswing. I just floated there as my power drained. Now exhausted I stared at him with a look of pure hatred.  
  
"Now that was unnecessary. But now that that's out of your system, I want you to listen very carefully. You have a lot to learn about life, half demon. Lesson one, I always win. It's better to give me what I want right away, or things get messy. Now, let's make things interesting." Naraku disappeared only to reappear moments later with a tied up Kagome.  
  
"Kagome!" I yelled, " What are you doing here?"  
  
"I- you rushed out of the gym so fast, I got worried and followed you."  
  
But why, Kagome? Why couldn't you have just stayed home where it's safe?  
  
"How about this. I'm feeling generous, so how about you let me have your father's grave, and I'll let you have your wenches back. Then you can all go home, and I'll forget about this little mishap. Hmm?" A smile curled the corners of his mouth.  
  
"NO! Inuyasha, don't!" Kagome yelled.  
  
"Shut up, foolish girl!" Naraku said, slapping her.  
  
I have no choice.  
  
"You win." I said, barely audible. The bubble around me broke and I fell to the ground.  
  
Naraku came up to me and put a finger in front of my eye. A blinding pain shot through me as a small pearl was extracted from my right eye. I clutched it as the searing pain subsided.  
  
Naraku was standing in front of a portal, the passageway to my father's grave. I got up and ran in after him. Looking back I thought I saw Kagome following me.  
  
I wish she were here, but no! I want her home safe. I want her to forget about me and live happily. I don't want her around my pathetic life and me. It's too dangerous. If anything were to ever happen to her because of me, I don't know what I'd do.I plunged into the world of my father's resting place, not knowing if I'd ever see her again.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*The End~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Dear Randomunit03,  
  
Niiiiice artwork. It made me ponder my existence. Actually it made me really worried for your sanity. I thought you were trying to tell me something using symbols. Then you ruined it by telling me what it was. So my deep thinking was for nothing. Good going.  
  
Thank you reviewers!! Eye wuv ewe all!! 


	10. Remembering the Battle and the Battle Wi...

Disclaimer: You know the drill, I don't own any characters except Seato- sune.  
  
A/N: Yay! The holidays are upon us!! I know it's only 2 pages, but it has a lot of long paragraphs.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Remembering the Battle~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A soft, but steady beeping noise awoke Inuyasha. He blinked a couple times to get used to the brightness. Where am I? He wondered, looking around. He felt something stir beside him. Looking down he saw, to his amazement, Kagome; she was asleep in a chair by his bed, holding his hand. He smiled to himself then placed her hand in her lap and covered her with a blanket. Inuyasha turned to stare out the window.  
  
Ok, so I'm in a hospital, but why? A chart on the wall told him why. He had had a severe blow to the head and ended up with a concussion, and he had a giant hole in his side. I remember going into the portal to my father's grave, but why can't I remember anything else? I don't know how I got my injuries, what happened, or how I got back.  
  
~*~  
  
Kagome woke up right where she had fallen asleep, minus one detail. She was wrapped in a blanket and wasn't holding Inuyasha's hand anymore. She sat up, fully awake. Looking around she realized it was night. Then she saw him, sitting there looking out the window like nothing was wrong. He must not remember, she thought.  
  
Sensing her movement, he turned and their eyes met. "How are you feeling?" she asked.  
  
"Better, healing wise, but confused mentally," he said, still holding her gaze. "What happened when I went to my father's grave?"  
  
"You mean.. You don't remember?" she asked, shocked.  
  
He shook his head and looked down at his sheets.  
  
"Well, when you went through the portal I followed you."  
  
"You WHAT?!? Kagome, how could you?!? Do know how dangerous that was? You could have been killed!" He ranted, but stopped when his side started to ache.  
  
Kagome quieted him with a soft shushing noise. "We landed in a lonely land full of bones, and there was your father's grave. You raced Naraku into it and, I don't really remember much, you fought over some sword. I remember he had you pinned against a wall so I started throwing bones at him. He got mad and rounded on me, which activated your sword. Then you swung it and it was like a huge explosion. Naraku went flying into the air and you flew back and hit your head. I thought Naraku was gone, so I started dragging you out of the gravesite, but he came back. Inuyasha, he came back." Kagome trailed off, tears streaming down her face.  
  
Inuyasha leaned forward and wiped the tears away, slowly tracing his finger along her cheek. "I'm so sorry, Kagome. You don't have to go on."  
  
"No, I'll finish," she composed herself and started again, "He came back and was muttering some sort of spell under his breath. I couldn't make out what he was saying. Then a shock wave ruptured the air and knocked the wind out of me. I knew he was going to kill you because you had gotten the sword and that's what he had wanted. So I flung myself on top of you. He sent a purple lightening bolt towards us, but it just kinda bounced off. He got mad and kept trying, but a protective shield of some sort was over us. Then he suddenly became calm and left. He just left! So I dragged you back through the portal and here." She finished, then looked away.  
  
They both sat there silently for awhile, while it sank in. The calm beeping persisted, as well as other hospital noises. After an hour or so, Inuyasha gingerly reached out and held Kagome's hand.  
  
Startled she looked up. "Thank you, Kagome, for being a friend." And with that, he turned and looked out the window.  
  
She couldn't take it any longer. She stood up and sat on the edge of his bed. Staring at him she said, "Inuyasha? What's that matter? Why are you so secluded, why won't you tell me?"  
  
He didn't look at her, but continued to stare into the calm night sky. For a moment he didn't answer and she was afraid she had offended him. "in my life," he started out, his voice hardly a whisper, "I've had to live through hell. Sorry for being so withdrawn, but you have to understand, I've never had a friend before. I guess I was afraid that if I did get a friend that they'd discover my true life and run away without looking back. I was so used to being alone. Then you came barging into my life and I didn't know what to do. I wasn't sure if it was real, or if it was a trick. Then I realized it was no trick, and you weren't going anywhere. Then I became worried that something would happen to you. I don't know what I'd do with myself if something were to happen to you.Please forgive me, but I'm not used to people caring about me." He trailed off, never once looking at her. She could see tears silently falling from his cheeks onto the crisp sheets.  
  
"Inuyasha, I ." Kagome started, "I want to be your friend, I want to help you. Please. let me help you." She said, then sank back into her chair, still holding his hand.  
  
After awhile she fell asleep. He went to her and covered her up. Then slowly he leaned down and kissed her forehead. He went to the door, and with a last look back, left.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~The End~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: A little foreshadowing for ya, and A LOT of fluff. But I figured that since this is a romance fic, I should get to the romance. Thanks to Crystal and Timmah! 


	11. Dreams Do Come True

Disclaimer: Once upon a time there were Inuyasha show rights. Well one day, Kalyen Majabe asked for them. Brutally she was denied and had to return to her fan fic writing horribly ashamed and only with rights to Seato-sune and other nameless characters.  
  
A/N: Hello. I hope you've all had a wonderful holiday break. I know I have! Well, here's another chapter for you. I'm writing as many as I can before the break is over. So don't think this is a new system (that I'll be writing one every other day)... cuz I won't..Who am I kidding!?!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Dreams Do Come True~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
After Inuyasha exited the hospital, he headed for the hills that rode along the edge of the city. He wandered through the bustling city to the peace and serenity of the countryside. Once reaching the hills, he began to climb. Up and up he went until finally reaching his destination, the top. He lazily dropped to the ground and lay there, looking up at the stars.  
  
The sky was a cloudless masterpiece. A royal blue sea with silver splashes that could be taken for fish leaping in and out of their vast, cold empire. In the west he could see splashes of reds, pinks, oranges, and every color in between, as the sun made way for the lunar reign. A slight breeze brought the scent of lilacs and fresh cut grass. It played with Inuyasha's hair.  
  
He sat there, silently, taking it all in. Listening while nature spoke to him of tales long ago, and lessons to be learned. Eventually he drifted off to sleep. While he slept, he dreamed:  
  
He was walking through fog. He couldn't tell where he was or what he was walking on, but kept walking nonetheless. Ahead of him he could see a form, swaying in the distance. Behind him he heard a constant, pulsing, loud drum. He continued on. Occasionally he would hear someone yell or the zing of an arrow as it flew by. Never hitting him, and he was never able to see them.  
  
Eventually he neared the shape ahead of him. He recognized the scent. Getting closer, he saw that it was Kikiyo. She was tied to a post and staring right through him. He wanted to help, but he couldn't move. He reached out his arms, yelled, and struggled with all his might, but to no avail. He couldn't get to her, to save her. Suddenly the fog lifted and he saw a bloody battle raging around him. Arrows were flying in every direction, barely missing the two of them. Kikiyo started to mumble something. Inuyasha strained to hear, but it was no use. Men were dying everywhere and all he could hear were screams, arrows zinging past, and the ever persistent drums.  
  
He looked up at her, but it wasn't Kikiyo any more. It was Kagome! Like a flash he could move again and he bounded towards her. He started to free her and she collapsed into his arms coughing.  
  
"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you," he whispered and hugged her close. He then tilted his head down to hers and gave her a kiss on the lips. Behind him he heard laughing - the deep, rumbling laugh of Naraku. He turned to find Kikiyo standing there with a lowered bow and arrow. Looking down he realized he had been shot through the heart.  
  
He looked at Kikiyo and whispered, "Why?.."  
  
She just returned the stare with a cold gaze and said, "Die, Inuyasha!" before letting another arrow fly..  
  
~*~  
  
He awoke hearing Kikiyo's last statement in his ears, but it disappeared with the wind. His heart ached. What was he doing? Ever since his mom and him decided to leave the futal era, he had been tormented with thoughts about - her. Leaving her was hell for Inuyasha, and he swore he'd never go through that again, with anyone. Even though he vowed to return someday, he knew the chances were small. So with a heavy heart, him and his family crossed the barrier to this world and sealed it. It wasn't until later that he learned of her tragic demise. It made him sick to think that the last thing she thought before she died was that he didn't love her; that he had betrayed her.  
  
He rolled onto his side and combed his hand through the grass.  
  
'I don't know what to do.' He thought. 'I love Kikiyo, and always will, but that's a part of me that's gone now. I have to move on. And besides, there's Kagome.' He sat up. 'Kagome!' How could he have been so blind? 'All this time she's been there, right in front of my face! How could I have not realized it before? I'm such an idiot!' He thought, then lept up and headed home. For the first time in a long while, he was careless. (and he didn't even have to become all demon)  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~The End~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Thank you everyone! Especially TIMMAH! 


	12. Reflections

Disclaimer: I am not privileged enough to own Inuyasha or any of the other characters. (besides Seato-sune, and other nameless extras)  
  
A/N: Hello! It's almost another New Year and my resolution is to find Inuyasha and keep him all to myself!! By the by, pretty soon things in this story will get pretty romantic. So romantic, I'll have to make a splinter chapter in the R section. Yes, a lemon. I'm sorry, I know, I'm sick and need help. But if you don't read it, it won't really fracture your understanding of the story, I won't mix the two. I'll just make it, well..juicier for those hopeless romantics out there. (myself included) It will be called, "What If (Splinter Chapter)." I'm writing it tonight also, so look for it if interested! Sorry if you think less of me now.(hides face in shame)  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Reflections~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Half way home Inuyasha changed his course. He headed for the pond, where they first met.  
  
When he got there he dropped on a rock, breathless. After awhile he looked up and admired the moon on the water. He grabbed some pebbles and one by one tossed them into the black surface of the water. His eyes were transfixed on the ripples. He watched as slowly the ripples widened until they all merged together. This caused the moon's reflection to be just a white shapeless form floating on the water.  
  
A shadow covered the moon and he looked up, his breath stopping. He stood up in alarm and slowly backed away a few steps.  
  
There Sessho-maru stood, with the moon's light outlining him. He reached out his hand then crumbled to the ground. Instinctively Inuyasha went to his side.  
  
"Brother? What's wrong?" He asked, forgetting his anger. Sessho-maru grasped Inuyasha's robes in his left hand and made frantic batting motions with his right. His eyes were glazed over and his mouth kept opening and closing, like he was trying to say something, but he no longer had a voice.  
  
Inuyasha started to get scared. He had never seen his brother act this way. 'What the hell is wrong with him? Why can't he talk?' he wondered. Sessho-maru's chest was heaving violently. Inuyasha grabbed the hand that was clutching his chest. It was cold and clammy, he could barely make out a pulse; but when he did it was beating rapidly. Sessho-maru looked up at him with a look of pure terror, then he stopped. He just stopped.  
  
It was as if he was a wind up toy and there was no more wind left. He just lay there, frozen. His mouth half-open, his eyes open but seeing nothing, and his whole body was rigid. Even his pulse slowed to a terrifying pace.  
  
Inuyasha had never seen anything like this before. His brother, who was always the calm, strong, mysterious one of the household, was passed out and crazed right in front of him. He didn't know what to do!  
  
Then it was as if Sessho-maru were having a nightmare or something. He started flailing his arms around and kicking the air. Yet, he wasn't in a good mind to know what he was doing. Catching him off guard, Inuyasha was smacked in the face violently and flung to the ground. He hit his head on something hard and everything was black.  
  
~*~  
  
When he awoke, Inuyasha just stared up at the stars, trying to remember what had happened. He felt something warm on his face and smelled blood. He also smelled sickness. He got up and immediately he felt the pain from his head and a nauseating feeling came over him. He looked around for Sessho-maru, but saw only an empty shore.  
  
Sessho-maru's absence left an eerie feeling over the surrounding forest. 'How peculiar,' he thought, 'that Sessho-maru just show up, spaz out, and leave. I wonder what that was all about?' He thought, getting worried once again.  
  
Inuyasha got up and wearily went to the shore. He dipped his hands in and let the warm water run through them. Then he splashed some on his face and shook his head.  
  
His nose caught a familiar scent. He stared off into the woods, but it was too dark for him to make out anything. The moon was hidden behind some clouds, so for the time being he was blind. All the while he could sense a form moving about, just out of his sight. The fine hairs on the back of his neck and arms rose. His eyes darted about as he frantically turned to try and find the shape.  
  
"Who's there? Show yourself!" he shouted at the darkness. His voice echoed off the nearby rocks. He heard short, shallow breaths and could smell fear.  
  
"Inuyasha?" the voice came so softly. His ears perked up. 'I know that voice,' he thought. Then the clouds moved away and there, bathed in moonlight, was Kagome. She looked frightened, but upon seeing him ran to his side.  
  
"I was scared. I woke up at the hospital and you weren't there. So I headed to the only place I could think of, here. But when I got here, you weren't alone. Another demon was there. He was wild, and looked like a dog with rabies. I hid in the bushes. But when you were knocked out, he just calmly got up, like nothing had happened! Then he looked right in my direction and laughed. He laughed! I thought he was going to get me, but he didn't. He just walked away. Then you woke up, but I didn't know if he was going to come back." she trailed off.  
  
Inuyasha held out his arms and pulled her into a hug. "I would never let anything happen to you," he whispered, then rested his head on hers.  
  
She hugged him tightly for awhile then she pulled away slightly. Looking up at him she realized how cute he was. With his long flowing hair, alluring smile, and soft amber eyes that always seemed to be looking right into your soul.  
  
He leaned down and kissed her. Then he pulled her tighter to him and kissed her harder and more passionately. They had both longed for this moment, and both were ready.  
  
Later that night, once they had finally parted, they still held each other and gazed at the moon, and it's reflection on the water. That night, Inuyasha became a man and Kagome became a woman, with the one they loved.  
  
~*~  
  
From the water looked back a jealous creature.  
  
She wanted him, and she would do whatever it took to get him.  
  
~*~  
  
For an instant Kagome's reflection was Kikiyo's, then all was calm.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*The End~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: Well, what did ya think? I have that splinter chapter for you, in cast you want to delve a little deeper into the story. A little darker at the end, but o well. Write more later!  
  
Shout-outs to: drake220, anime-is-da-bomb, NR, and TIMMAH. You guys rock my world!! 


	13. Back To Before

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, fortunately for me, neither do you, HA HA HA!!....  
  
A/N: I just want to say I'M SORRY for not writing for so long, but it was nearing the end of term and I really needed to concentrate on my schoolwork. Plus I have a mental block (any ideas?!?) But I'm back on track and have a long weekend so I'll hopefully crank out two or three. Unfortunately this one won't be too long (my others will) but I wanted to get this out there before you thought I forgot about you.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Back to Before ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Inuyasha woke up early the next morning with a headache. He sat up drowsily and swung his feet over the edge of the bed. His feet hit the cold wood and he shivered. For several minutes he just sat there trying to remember how he got the bump on his head, or how he had even gotten home. He remembered going to the pond, and he remembered Sessho-maru freaking out and hitting him. 'I must have bee knocked unconscious and he brought me home' Inuyasha thought. Something told him he was wrong.  
  
~*~  
  
A slight breeze caused Kagome to shiver and wake up. She looked around blurry-eyed at her surroundings. Suddenly she noticed she wasn't wearing anything and screamed. She grabbed for a nearby blanket and wrapped it around her. Then she blushed. She then remembered every detail of the previous night. 'That was wonderful' she thought, and blushed deeper. 'I wonder where he went off to.'  
  
She found her clothes in a corner and put them on then headed out the cave.  
  
She walked on the forest path in the direction of Inuyasha's house. When she reached the door she hesitated to knock. It was too quiet and still by his house. 'Something seems wrong,' she thought, but brushed aside the thought. 'It's early, no one is probably up yet.'  
  
Kagome knocked at the door, the sound of her knocks echoed off the nearby forest. She jumped as the door creaked open. There Inuyasha stood looking disheveled and tired. She tentatively smiled at him. He looked confused but smiled back.  
  
"Kagome. what are you doing her?" he said as he pushed aside the door, inviting her in.  
  
"Oh, I just wanted to see what you were up to." She said. As she passed she put her hand on his arm and let it slide off. He twitched and backed off a bit. 'What the HELL is going on here!?!' he thought.  
  
Kagome looked a little taken aback. "What's wrong, Inuyasha? You weren't afraid of me last night." She smiled shyly at him and looked down at the ground.  
  
"Wha.what happened last night?" he was almost afraid to ask.  
  
Kagome stopped smiling and it looked like a bomb was about to go off in her. "What do you mean 'what happened last night'?" she asked with a syrupy voice masking pure anger.  
  
Tick.  
  
Tick.  
  
Tick.  
  
"I.I don't know what you mean. At the dance?" Inuyasha tried to make sense of what she was saying.  
  
Boom.  
  
"INUYASHA!!!HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?!?" Kagome screamed at him. Her hand flew up and slapped him across the face before he had time to react.  
  
"Hey! What'd you do that for?!?" He shouted back, while protecting his stinging cheek.  
  
"Last night you said you loved me and THEN you seduced me. HOW CAN YOU NOT REMEMBER THAT?!?!" She looked close to tears.  
  
Inuyasha hated seeing her like this; but as hard as he tried he just couldn't remember any of last night past being knocked out. 'Wait a second.'  
  
"Did.(gulp) Did you just say I .?" he couldn't finish his sentence.  
  
"Yes, okay?" she broke into tears and ran from him.  
  
He reached out and grabbed her arm. "Kagome! I'm sorry, but that wasn't me. I don't know who that was, but last night that couldn't have been me. I was knocked out by my brother and cant remember anything afterwards. I don't even know how I got home! I'm sorry for what you thought, or lost.. But that wasn't me." he dropped her arm.  
  
She dropped to the ground, stunned. A twig broke behind Inuyasha and he turned.  
  
He saw his mom standing there. Then she was gone in a flicker and he heard Naraku's deep, malicious laugh. He tensed up and looked around. Far off he hear his mom's voice calling to him. He ran in the house and slipped on his red pants and white and red shirt. Then he belted his sword on his hip and ran outside. "Shippo!" he called over his shoulder. Momentarily the little fox demon appeared, wiping the sleep from his eyes.  
  
Inuyasha ran to Kagome and picked her up. He put her on his back and asked, "where do you live?" as gently as he could. She answered with barely a voice and half a heart. He bounded off towards her house.  
  
~*~  
  
When they got there, he jumped up to her window and she crawled out and into her room. He started to leave but she told him to wait. "Whatever you're doing I want to come with. I want to get to the bottom of this." She was too determined for him to stop, so he just sighed and jumped to the ground while she changed into blue jeans and a t-shirt.  
  
When she came out the door they started to leave, but were stopped halfway down the driveway by Sango and Miroku.  
  
Sango ran to Kagome, "Where have you been? We've been searching all night!! Are you okay?" She hurtled her questions at Kagome.  
  
"I'm fine," was all she said. Sango didn't look satisfied but decided not to press it.  
  
"Well, we'd love to stay and chat, but we have to go," Inuyasha said, grabbing Kagome's arm.  
  
"We're coming with," Sango said, imitating Inuyasha and grabbing Miroku's arm; he didn't seem to mind how rough she was.  
  
Inuyasha started to protest but she gave him a death glare and he just mumbled off.  
  
The five of them headed off to the woods.  
  
'I have to get to her' Inuyasha thought. 'I don't know what's going on around here, but I know that bastard Naraku is behind it.' Inuyasha knew what he had to do, and set off to where it all began.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The End ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A/N: I know you're all scratching your heads right now, but bear with me. It will become clear in a few chapters. Sorry this is so short. I'm writing the next one tomorrow. Thanks for sticking with me!! 


	14. Well, Well, Well

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters  
  
A/N: Hey all! Sorry about my absence, I think a lot of people have stopped reading this. now I'm sad.COME BACK!!!!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Well, well, well ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kagome stared into the well indifferently. Everything was a blur of shapes and colors to her. It was like her mind had just shut off. 'How?..How could I let this have happened? I was so careless...I...I've been used...Embarrassed! I hate him. I HATE HIM!!' Her thoughts molded together. One thing was clear, no matter what happened, Naraku would pay...  
  
~*~  
  
"Ready?" Inuyasha asked, staring down the well. He didn't hear a reply, but could smell fear and determination. He took that for a yes. "Hold on to me," he said, producing an iridescent ball on a thin silver chain.  
  
Shippo grabbed onto his head and sat there, Kagome was all ready on his back, Sango grabbed his arm, and Miroku grabbed his other arm while putting an arm securely around Sango's ass. She tensed up and grabbed his arm. Twisting it, he shrieked in pain and attempted to pull it away. Failing, he shrank away from her and gave her a pleading look. Sango laughed, leaned in and kissed his nose, then placed his arm safely around her waist.  
  
Inuyasha took a deep breath, then leapt into the well...  
  
~*~  
  
They landed in the bottom of a dusty old well. All, except Shippo, who didn't land on the floor in the first place, stood up and brushed themselves off. Miroku tried to make another pass at Sango's ass, but she caught him and threw a clod of dirt in his face.  
  
"Hey! I was just trying to clean the dirt off of you!" he said innocently.  
  
She rolled her eyes and looked around. "So..how do we get out of here?" She asked Inuyasha.  
  
"Just a minute." He whistled and shortly after a rope ladder was thrown down.  
  
"How did you kno-" Sango asked, but was cut off.  
  
"Due to recent events, and considering that this is the only passage between worlds, I figured someone Kaide would be here waiting for me."  
  
"Who's Kaide?" Miroku asked, having fully recovered from the dirt incident.  
  
"A friend," Inuyasha's tone was indifferent, but cold. Miroku decided not to push it.  
  
~*~  
  
One by one they emerged into the sunlight. They were greeted by a little old woman wearing a red outfit and with a patch over one eye. Behind her were several armed townspeople. When Inuyasha emerged, they all cheered.  
  
"What's going on?" Sango whispered to Inuyasha, but he just waved to the villagers and tuned out the questioning from behind him.  
  
Kagome was the last to emerge. When she did, the cheers stopped. Instead a sea of whispers greeted her.  
  
She looked at them self-consciously and backed behind Sango.  
  
"Welcome, Inuyasha! Who be your friends?" Kaide's voice was smooth and calming as she embarrassed Inuyasha. "Didn't think I'd ever see you again, the way you and your mom left. But here you be, plain as day."  
  
"Good to see you too," Inuyasha said, smiling.  
  
"Well, enough talk, you must be hungry. Let's head back and get better acquainted," and with that, the townsfolk and Kaide turned around and headed back to the village. A few curious looks were aimed at Kagome, but she ignored them.  
  
When they were out of earshot, Sango turned to Inuyasha and said, "What the hell is going on here? And where exactly IS here?"  
  
He backed up and Sat on the edge of the well. "I didn't ask you guys to come ya know. If you want to go home now just say so."  
  
"No." Everyone turned, surprised, at the source of the voice. It was Kagome, she was standing there, facing Inuyasha, about 20 feet away. "I'm not going back. Not until I get Naraku."  
  
Inuyasha hated seeing her this way. He hated himself for what Naraku made him out to be, and for how Kagome now saw him.  
  
"I'm not leaving Kagome," Sango said defiantly.  
  
"And I'm not leaving Sango," Miroku said putting his arm around her shoulder.  
  
Slowly they all looked at Shippo, who was watching an ant on a blade of grass. Finally noticing them he said, "Well, don't look at me! I'm not going anywhere!" With that, he returned to his bug watching.  
  
"So it's settled then, no one is leaving. Now will you tell us what's going on?" Sango said.  
  
Inuyasha took a deep breath, "Okay. A long, LONG time ago m-"  
  
"In a galaxy far away." Miroku muttered. Sango elbowed him in the ribs.  
  
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, but continued, " My father, a demon, fell in love with my mother, a mortal. The result was my brother, Sessho-maru -a full demon, and me - a half demon. When my father died he left me this powerful sword with the ability to kill a thousand demons with one swipe!" he said, patting the sword with pride, " and to my brother he gave a sword equally powerful, but not in battle. His sword has the ability to heal. He got pissed off because I had the powerful sword and he had the kind sword. Well, he promised to kill me. Meanwhile, I was after the Shikon (spelling? Sorry!) jewel, the one I used to get us here, to make me a full fledged demon. Something happened I hadn't planned on. I met Kikiyo." Inuyasha looked down at his hands and was quiet for awhile. When he did speak again it was quieter.  
  
"She was protector of this cursed jewel. One day, convinced I had betrayed her, she hit me with her sacred arrow and pinned me to a tree. Turns out our friend Naraku had played his mimic trick on her to make her think he was me. She died right after, and that was the last thing I saw before I slept." Silently small beads of water fell from Inuyasha's face and onto his pants.  
  
"Once she had died, my mother pleaded with Kaide to let me out. Eventually she agreed on the condition we leave. So she let me out of the tree and placed this collar on me, preventing me from getting back here unless my mom came back. I never got revenge for Kikiyo's death. I hate Naraku more than I loved Kikiyo. I want him to suffer. I want everything he once held dear in his pathetic life to be taken away from him before his very eyes, and I want him to watch knowing he's completely helpless. I want him to suffer as I have suffered." He finished, his promise hanging in the forest air, which seemed a considerable amount thicker.  
  
No one said anything, they either stared in amazement at him, or stared down at the ground. Sango sniffed back tears and Miroku comforted her. Shippo had lost his energy and was sitting glum faced in the grass. Even the birds seemed to mourn with him, and remained silent. Only the breeze in the trees and Sango's sniffs provided some noise.  
  
~*~  
  
'Wow,' Kagome thought, 'I never knew.Oh Inuyasha! I'm so sorry! You're so strong to have gone through that and still live each day. But.. Kikiyo? I thought.What about me?..'  
  
Kagome quietly walked over to Inuyasha and put an arm around him. "Inuyasha," she whispered, "I want you to know that no matter what I will help you. I'm so sorry for what happened.." She trailed off.  
  
"Forget it, it's in the past, I shouldn't have told you guys," he said emotionlessly.  
  
"No, I will not forget it. Obviously she was everything to you and this story is an important part of you. So I will not forget it, because if I do, I'll just keep holding onto hopeless dreams." her arm fell from his back and she stood up. "Well, we should go back." She said, her happy tone masking how torn up she felt inside.  
  
They all nodded and glumly headed down the path to the village.  
  
~*~  
  
Kaide greeted them with food and a warm hut, which they accepted with pleasure. 'This cheers me up a little' Sango thought.  
  
"Now, Inuyasha, why you be here? I thought I told you never to return. Speaking of that, where's be your mother?"  
  
"That's why I'm here. She was taken by Naraku.. And Sessho-maru." He said between mouthfuls of bread and rice.  
  
"Oh, this be sad news. With Naraku who knows what's happened to her.." She went back to tending the fire.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* The End *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A/N: Well, what'd ya think? All you faithful people reading my fic. Thanks for sticking with it! I only hope people who stopped reading it didn't think I was done. ( 


	15. A Time to Fight and a Time to Love

Disclaimer: I ain't never not have owned Inuyasha or any'o the characters.  
  
A/N: Hey all! I know it's been awhile, but I've been mucho busy with school. Hope you enjoy!!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ A Time to Fight and a Time to Love ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
After Kaide's hope renewing and inspiring news, Kagome glumly headed out of the little hut and into the surrounding woods. 'I just need some time alone, to think' she told herself.  
  
~*~  
  
Inuyasha saw Kagome leave. No one else noticed, they were too busy asking questions to Kaide, or answering questions from pesky villagers.  
  
'She doesn't know how dangerous it is out there' he thought. So quietly, darting in the shadows, he followed.  
  
~*~  
  
Kagome came to a tree. A very familiar tree. For a moment she stared up at it, then slumped down between it's roots. The ground was cold beneath her. Kagome leaned her head back against the smooth bark and gazed at the start. 'This is the sacred tree' she thought, 'the one like back home.'  
  
"What am I thinking? This is the tree from back home, only much younger. This is so weird! My house should be right over there, the temple right next to this tree. Sota and Mom and Grandpa are probably eating dinner. I hope they're not too worried. I miss them already!"  
  
Kagome sat silently for awhile, strong emotions were filling her. 'Something really sad or horrible must have happened around this tree. It's like I can feel the intense emotion someone must have gone through here.' She sat for a long time and never noticed two golden eyes peering at her through the bushes.  
  
"What happened here?..."  
  
Then everything was black. Kagome stood up alarmed.  
  
Slowly the woods came back into view, but everything seemed on mute. She looked around and saw the tree.  
  
Suddenly a blaze of white and red ran past her and she ducked to the ground. A voice rang out in the crisp air, "Die, Inuyasha!"  
  
Kagome spun around just in time to see an arrow fly from a young girl's bow. She watched as it pinned Inuyasha to the tree. He dropped something and muttered, "Kikiyo..." before drifting off to unconsciousness.  
  
Kagome screamed and tried to run to him, but her legs wouldn't move. Frantically she looked around at the people who had gathered. "Why won't you help him?!?" she yelled angrily, but no one heard her......  
  
"Sister Kikiyo!" A little girl was tugging at the hem of Kikiyo's clothes. In pain Kikiyo fell to the ground, Kagome could see that she was badly wounded. A seering pain shot up Kagome's back, causing her to fall to the ground. All she saw was white, the pain was so great. She felt someone tugging at her clothes. 'Why won't they stop and just let me die?' she thought. Kagome felt something cool in her hand and remembered she still had the jewel. Slowly she heard herself say, "You have to burn this jewel with my body..." Then she was gone, her last look at her love, Inuyasha.  
  
Kagome woke up in a cold sweat clutching her stomach. She looked around, but everything was normal, there were no townspeople, no jewel...  
  
Suddenly remembering, she whipped around and looked up at the tree, but to her relief Inuyasha wasn't pinned up there.  
  
"Now I understand," she said to the night, and to the tree.  
  
~*~  
  
Inuyasha saw Kagome talking to herself, he didn't think this out of the ordinary. Then he saw her drop to the ground and scream, then she just lay there. He rushed over to her and found her staring at the tree.  
  
"What's wrong? Are you ok?" Inuyasha asked with pure concern.  
  
She turned to him and he could see she had been crying. For a moment she looked at him, then she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug and just sobbed in his arms. Inuyasha did the best he could to comfort her, but he really had no clue what to do.  
  
"Inuyasha....I'm so....sorry.....how could she.....you loved each other so ...m...much...." Kagome said between sobs. When she had finally gotten her bearings, she told him what had happened. He backed away from her and looked up at the tree. For awhile he just sat there, it took her a moment to realize he was crying.  
  
Then he turned to her and hugged her. Inuyasha placed his head on hers and they just sat there comforting each other. "I'm so sorry Kagome, I never should have brought you here. You should be home with your family, not in this messed up world with me."  
  
"Don't be stupid, I wanted to come. I want to get Naraku for what he did, just as much as you do."  
  
His voice came softer this time, "I'm so sorry Kagome..." He looked at her.  
  
Then he did something he was afraid to do all his life. He leaned in and kissed her. Just for a moment, but it was the simplicity and innocence of it that made it so perfect.  
  
All his life Inuyasha had wanted to be like his dad. So he tried to never let himself get attached to any humans. But this one he couldn't help.  
  
"Inuyasha..." Kagome whispered, she looked down at the dirt and tears fell. She knew it was him this time, but that's not what bothered her, "Did you kiss me for me... or because I remind you of her...?"  
  
Slowly He backed away. He hadn't even realized it until now. But in this moonlight under that tree she looked exactly like Kikiyo. Disgusted with himself he slowly got up and backed away...  
  
~*~  
  
From somewhere with in the tree a heart wrenching cry broke out.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The End ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A/N: Well, whatd'ya think? 


	16. Dazed and Confused

Disclaimer: You know the drill "I don't own any of these characters, except Seato-sune" bla bla bla...  
  
A/N: Howdy everyone! Sorry I haven't written for awhile, but it's nearing the end of the school year and I want summer to come! Believe me, when summer does decide to roll around I will be permanently attached to my computer doing nothing but writing fan fics and playing online pool. Ciao!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Dazed and Confused*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Dawn broke out and a ray of light woke Miroku up. He stretched and rubbed his eyes. Then, noticing that his legs were warm and rather heavy, he looked down. To his delight he found a sleeping Sango lying across his lap. 'She must have fallen asleep on me' he thought devilishly. 'I'll just wake her with a subtle kiss...' he leaned down and puckered up. Just as he was about to give her a big kiss on the mouth her eyes fluttered open.  
  
All that was heard from outside the little hut was a muffled scream, Miroku's voice saying, "No! It wasn't what it- hold on!" and a very painful sounding smack.  
  
Soon after Sango stormed out followed by a crawling Miroku nursing a bright red cheek. "Sango! Wait! It wasn't what it looked like! Just give me a chance to explain!" She stopped and slowly turned to him with both arms crossed. He gulped and pretended to catch his breath while really trying to evade her death glare.  
  
"I was only trying to wake you up. I tried moving you and even talking to you and you didn't wake up. I thought you were passed out and was concerned for your safety. So I was going to revive you through mouth to mouth resuscitation." Slowly he raised his eyes to her, hoping against hope she believed him.  
  
Sango moved her look from Miroku to Kagome, who had also heard the story. All Kagome had to do was shake her head and Sango charged at Miroku. He barely had time to get up when she tackled him to the ground and furiously started tickling him.  
  
"No! Stop! Get off me! Stop it –you wench! Please!" was all that could be heard between his laughing and crying. Kagome watched for a bit then headed into the hut silently laughing.  
  
On a normal day she would have joined in with the tickle fight, but after last night... she didn't feel like doing much of anything.  
  
Once Inuyasha had left her by the tree she made her way back to the cabin, too upset and exhausted to go after him. She'd like to think she had fallen asleep immediately, but she hadn't. She had stayed awake half the night thinking about Inuyasha and the other half wondering where he had gone and why he wasn't back yet.  
  
'Why can't I stop thinking about him?!?' she wondered, mad at herself. 'All I want to do is get Naraku then leave this hell hole – and Inuyasha – forever...'  
  
~*~  
  
Inuyaha ran. He didn't know where he was going; all he knew was that he had to leave. So he ran aimlessly into the woods and night. Dodging branches, jumping over fallen logs, he felt like he was going nowhere. 'I have to get away' was all he thought.  
  
"Why won't you leave me alone?!" he screamed as he went at breakneck speed to escape his demons.  
  
He came to a clearing and fell to his knees, exhausted. Pain shot up his legs and chest and he heaved for breath. His head pounded; he leaned over and threw up then rolled onto his back and tried to make everything go away.  
  
'Why? Why can't you leave me alone? Why are you always there, plaguing my thoughts?'  
  
"Leave me alone!" he moaned into the night air. "I hate you..." he whispered.  
  
He closed his eyes, and drifted into sleep.  
  
Awhile later something woke him. He opened his eyes and squinted into the woods. After a few moments of nothing happening, he started to close his eyes.  
  
A small figure darted from one tree to another. He opened his eyes wide and his body froze. He saw long flowing black hair. 'Kagome' he thought and sprang up. He started running towards her, ignoring the pain in his legs. But when he got closer, he knew something was terribly wrong. He stopped dead in his tracks and crouched down into the sand.  
  
His nose caught onto the girl's scent, and it was nothing like Kagome's, or anything he had smelled before. It almost smelled like blueberries and burning wood. Inuyasha looked around, dazed and confused, wondering what was going on.  
  
Soon, he saw the girl coming up the path. She walked hunched over, and like she was trying to hide, yet she was in plain view on the path. Inuyasha could smell her fear.  
  
The girl got closer, and he could she was about 7 or 8. 'Why would a girl so young be out in the middle of the woods, alone, so late at night? There are thieves and worse things out here around now...'  
  
The whole scene seemed wrong and out of place. He continued to watch her.  
  
Suddenly she stopped. It was so abrupt that Inuyasha didn't even notice that she had stopped and had to focus his eyes back on her because they had kept traveling the path she was taking.  
  
She listened for a moment, then slowly turned her head to face his. His heart stopped for an instance. Her icy glare penetrated through him and froze him to the spot. He knew she hadn't seen him because her eyes were a milky white, but her glare was so accurately and persistently hooked on where he sat hidden that he had second thoughts about what she could and couldn't see.  
  
A small smile curled the corners of her delicate pink mouth and she let escape a small giggle. In a flash, her outline was a blur and suddenly she sat right in front of him, inches from his face peering into his eyes.  
  
Alarmed and caught off guard he fell away, trying to escape those white eyes that looked at nothing but saw everything. She cocked her head to one side and reached a hand for him. Inuyasha frantically tried to move but somehow he was rooted to that spot and nothing he did could get him to move.  
  
Slowly her hand came closer to his face. He closed his eyes and waited. The woods were silent and it seemed time froze. Nothing moved but the two of them. He shivered when he felt the cold fingertip on his cheek. The cold seemed to spread throughout his body, but he was powerless against it.  
  
A blinding pain caused him to scream out. It felt like every part of him was being pulled and stabbed over and over. He couldn't move. All he could see was the little girl's face and sweat poured down his face. His body shook and he clenched his teeth. Just when he thought the pain was ebbing a new kind of pain set in. Images started appearing before him, just flashes, then they were gone, replaced by new images.  
  
He saw him and Kikiyo walking through the woods, he saw himself strike her down, he was running, Kagome at the dance, Kikiyo dying, and arrow in the air, a burning city, his mother, Sango and Miroku dancing, Seato-sune running away, Kikiyo cursing him, Kikiyo kissing him then turning into Kagome, Sessho-maru convulsing by the pond, Naruto laughing, and they all stopped on the little girl's face.  
  
The images stopped and all he saw was black. He didn't even realize that he had shut his eyes, they had just shut automatically, trying to drive out the images. Slowly he opened his eyes to see the little girl huddled next to the tree, her head in her arms.  
  
He watched cautiously. His muscles ached and his whole body burned with fever and pain. He just wanted to sleep, but he had to know who that little girl was and what she did to him.  
  
Finding that he could move again, he dragged his aching body slowly over to her, and hesitantly reached out to touch her arm. When his hand met her arm, she shuddered and started twitching. He leapt back and watched as she rolled around on the ground screaming and convulsing. Then she started laughing. A horrible, childish laugh, all the while never moving her eyes from his.  
  
"What do you want?!" he screamed at her.  
  
She tried to stop herself from twitching, but wasn't successful. That whipped the smile off her face. Now she started panicking, but that only worsened the twitching. She let out a high pitched scream and vanished, leaving only the echo of her scream reverberating in the silent woods.  
  
Inuyasha fell to the ground exhausted and scared for his life for the first time in almost 50 years...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*The End~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A/N: I hope it's long enough that people won't yell at me.... Was it spooky though? Let me know! 


	17. Answers

Disclaimer: I ain't never owned any of these characters...   
  
A/N: Sorry I ended it on a creepy note... I scared myself.... )))))shudder((((( Anywho, I'm writing again... Yay?!?  
  
P.S. for future reference in this fic, Kagome refers to Inuyasha flashing in and out of conciousness.  
  
Answers  
  
Inuyasha sat huddled in the bushes for the rest of the night. His muscles ached and his head was searing with pain, but he refused to relax. All he kept thinking about was the little girl and how horribly grotesque it was to see such a young and innocent creature twitching and twisting in such a possessed way.  
  
Beads of sweat dripped down his face and back, he ignored the itching paths they took and sat staring into the woods. He locked his muscles into place, knowing that if he lost any of his intensity in sitting completely rigid, he's succumb to exhaustion.  
  
It wasn't so much the physical pain that was unbearable, it was the mental jog he had suffered. All the horrors of the past week came rushing back to him and bombarded him with memories tucked deep away. Ones he'd tried to forget, and ones he had forgotten...  
  
Kagome looked into the woods. She could feel... something... She just wasn't sure what it was. He first thought was Inuyasha. She thought he might be in danger, but that was unlikely. Then she thought it was the tree, but dismissed that idea quickly, not wanting to remember that cursed tree.  
  
She walked slowly to the fire pit, an eerie and uneasy feeling settling in. Kagome tried to dismiss the feelings and concentrate on the fire. She stacked some twigs and wood together and used a nearby torch to light it. Then she went inside and found some meat scraps. Placing the scraps on a sharpened stick she slowly roasted it over the fire, watching the flames caress the meat.  
  
A twig broke and scared her to her senses. She turned her head and saw Inuyasha stumbling through the woods, his hands over his ears. His step was swayed and after only a few seconds he dropped to the ground. In an instant Kagome was right beside him.  
  
"Inuyasha! Wake up! What's wrong?!?" panic laced her words. She didn't know what to do so she sat staring at his blank face and wiping the sweat off his forehead.  
  
Sango and Miroku had heard Kagome so they rushed over, Shippo went to get Kaide...  
  
He couldn't ignore it any longer. Every memory was taunting him. Every sound, scent, touch, look.... All of it was right there, exposed to the woods and stripped of its value. His heart was in the open and his soul was bleeding out.  
  
Blackness...Kikiyo...black...Kagome.....blackarrowblackjewelblackNarutoblackmomblack  
  
It all ended on Kikiyo, or was it Kagome? He couldn't tell anymore. Slowly he got up and took one agonizing step towards the village. All he knew was that he had to get away. He followed a zig zag pattern until he could smell a fire and food...  
  
He stepped into a clearing and collapsed.  
  
Miroku and some of the villagers helped lift Inuyasha onto a makeshift bed in the hut. Kaide was busy making something for Inuyasha over the fire.  
  
"Sango! We need some cool water from the spring!" Kagome tried to yell over the noise. It seemed half the village was cramped in the little hut.  
  
"Please! Thank you for all your help but will you leave! We need it quiet in here! We'll send word of how he's doing later!" Kaide's demanding voice hushed the crowd.  
  
Amazing, Kagome thought, she manages to quiet and entire crowd and get them to listen to her without ever turning from the fire!  
  
Slowly the crowd trickled out and Kagome's sanity returned. Sango came back with the water in a bucket and a towel, "I'll wait outside..." she said, leaving only Kagome, Kaide and Inuyasha in the hut.  
  
Kagome set to work. She tied back his hair and wiped his forehead with the cloth. He started to shiver but his fever never ceased. Seeing that that wasn't doing any good, she started to take off his red jacket. Laying it by the fire she noticed it was damp with sweat. She then started peeling away his white shirt. She gasped when his chest was bare, revealing numerouse bruises and cuts. Where his heart should have been there was a black rash. 'What happened to you?' she wondered.  
  
Hearing Kagome's gasp Kaide came over. The sound of a pot falling to the ground and breaking was all the reaction Kagome needed from Kaide to become more worried than ever.  
  
"What? What's wrong what is it?" Asked a hysterical Kagome.  
  
"Tell me it hasn't gotten to this, tell me it isn't so!" Kaide wailed, dropping to the floor and taking Inuyasha's clammy hand.  
  
"They've done it! They've gone too far! Those beasts! Those horrible beasts!" She turned her gaze upward. "Why can't you leave him be? Hasn't he been tormented enough?!"  
  
"Wha-"Kagome started, but before she could even finish Kaide had turned her venomous gaze to her.  
  
"He's not with us right now. He's fighting with the demons from the underworld. They're trying to take his heart away. He be fighting the worst battle ever to exist, the battle of his heart and soul. Only the strength of his heart will judge if he wins or not and even if he does who knows what state he'll be in metally." Kaide then realized who she was talking to and softened her gaze. "I didn't mean to frighten you Kagome. We best stick to our chores and make life for him here as comfortable as possible to make the torment he's going through even the slightest bit better."  
  
All Kagome could do was nod. She carefully managed to get his white shirt off and threw it by the fire also. Like the red shirt it was damp with sweat.  
  
She started running the wet rag all over his torso, hoping to relieve his fever. Every so often his head would turn to one side, but nothing more. After awhile she couldn't help but admire his lean body. The way his muscles rippled over him, how the light from the fire shone on his bare chest...  
  
'Any other time but now Kagome,' she told herself and continued wetting his head.  
  
Kaide and Kagome took turns keeping him cool during the night until it seemed that his fever was breaking enough.  
  
Kaide kept putting small amounts of whatever liquid was on the fire on Inuyasha's temples. 'To keep the demons out of his head' she said, but Kagome thought it smelled an awful lot like smelling salts...  
  
He flickered in and out of conciousness seeing a glimpse of firelight then the eerie faces of demons.  
  
"Why am I here?!?" he screamed, but the demons only laughed and bounced up and down. Kagome. More and more creatures gathered by the dozens around him. Their jeering faced enraged him so much he'd give anything to break free and kill them all. But the bounds by which he was held captive were just too strong.  
  
Kagome   
  
Their grey eyes rolled around looking at everything but seeing nothing. A sea of high pitched cackles and claws was growing ever bigger and more violent.  
  
In the distance he saw a far off figure walking towards him, calming the sea of monsters as it passed. When the figure got nearer he could see it was a young girl.  
  
Kagome!   
  
His head kept rolling onto his chest as he struggled to keep it up from exhaustion.  
  
Kikiyo stood right in front of him in all her glory. Their eyes met and just for an instant he saw pity in them. Then it was gone, engulfed by the flames in her eyes. It was that pity that he'd hang onto for a long time.  
  
He looked pleadingly at her but she turned her head away. "Please..." was all he could manage to whisper before breaking down.  
  
She stopped and slowly turned to face him. "What? Were you begging for mercy?" she threw her head back and laughed a piercing laugh that caused some of the nearby monsters to fall to the ground screeching. Inuyasha's ears were ringing. "That might be the most pathetic thing I've ever hear!" She laughed again and he was sure his ears were bleeding.  
  
Kagome wiping his head   
  
"Oh Inuyasha, have you fallen that far you can't see what's so clearly in front of you? Why have you given up on our love? Don't you remember what we had? Did that mean nothing to you!?!" her cry caused the earth to shake.  
  
He could barely speak. "No, Ki-Kikiyo...I haven't forgotten."  
  
"Then why are you unable to look me in the face?"  
  
Slowly and with great pain he raised his head to see her. She had wounds all over her flesh, wherever it was exposed there was a cut or bruise. Her hair was tangled and ratted and crystal tears were streaming down her face, leaving clean tracks behind them.  
  
"You did this to me. You refused my love and killed my soul! Now I am left to wander in the underworld like this. Is this the punishment I deserve for only wanting your love in return?" She fell to her knees sobbing.  
  
To see her in so much pain was killing him all the more. 'How could I have let this happen to her, to my Kikiyo?' he wondered in astonishment, ashamed of himself. 'I don't deserve to live.'  
  
He threw his head up to the sky and shouted, "Kill me now and let me ease her pain! She doesn't deserve this but I do for what I've done to her!"  
  
Firelight.  
  
Calm, soothing firelight.  
  
A hand pressed a cool cloth to his head and he could feel the drops fall down his cheeks and onto his neck and hair.  
  
He tried to move but the pain was too great, even for him. So he just lay there in comfort.  
  
A bolt of lightning lit up the sky. He looked down, confused for a moment at where he was, then remembering the horrible truth.  
  
Kikiyo stood hunched over in front of him. She was covering her face and laughing a horrible laugh.  
  
Once she calmed she turned her steely eyes on him and walked right up to him. He closed his eyes and could feel her warm breath on his neck. "As you wish, my love."  
  
An intense pain flamed in his chest. It felt as though his very heart was burning inside of him. He looked down to see Kikiyo's hand sticking straight through him. She ripped her hand out and with it cam Inuyasha's very own beating heart.  
  
Kikiyo threw her head back and cackled, the sky turned black and all the creatures around hid in the shadows.  
  
Then it was quiet.  
  
All eyes bored into Kikiyo as she had grown abruptly quiet. She looked at the heart in her hands as it slowly turned to ash.  
  
"No. This can't be happening! This can't be happening!! He gave his heart to me! To meee!! Why am I still here?!"  
  
That was the last thing he heard before slipping into blackness...  
  
I know, I know, the title is very misleading, but I promise, aanother chapter is soon to follow. But I did kinda explain about the girl and the spazes and .....I t WILL become an Inu/Kag love fic soon, just bear with me. 


	18. Breaking Through

Disclaimer: Been there, not owned that, you know the story.  
  
A/N: Howdy all! How's the summer weather been treating you? Good I trust. Well here I am, writing another chapter. What can I say, I'm a sucker for Inu & Kagome...(sitting in a tree...) So here ya go. (shout outs to all you reviewers, you rock my world!!)  
  
Dark Side of the Moon  
  
I opened my eyes and was immediately blinded by sunlight. I sat up quickly and surveyed my surroundings. I seemed to be in a small hut, a fire was going in the corned with a small pot dangling over it.  
  
"Master! You're awake!" the sqeaky voice of Jaken called excitedly from nearby the pot.  
  
I felt a slight tug on my sleeve and looked over to see Rin kneeling on the floor beside him, smiling at me. I let a small smile crease my lips and drew her into a small hug. "Hello Rin, I hope you've fared well."  
  
"Oh I have, Master Sessho-maru, but Jaken has been worried sick!"  
  
"I suppose he was..." Just then Jaken appeared next to Rin with a hot bowl of stew. He pushed her aside slightly to thrust the bowl up to my face, and even tried to feed me.  
  
I stood up and helped Rin up, "Jaken! There's no need to treat Rin so roughly!" she smiled at me again. There's something about her smile...  
  
"OH! I'm sorry master! Please forgive me!" he said and fell to the ground, letting the soup splatter all over the floor.  
  
"Now Jaken, I would like to know what happened and how I got here...over a nice bowl of soup that is."  
  
He hopped up and rushed to fetch another bowl of soup, I sat down at a table near the window. A misty fog surrounded the little hut, yet the sun shone down into the window as brightly as ever. "Jaken, what is this mist?"  
  
"Oh, I put that around the hut to hide it from... it's a protective barrier, Master Sessho-maru," he conveniently busied himself cleaning up the spilled soup to avoid my questioning glance.  
  
I slowly slurped my soup and stared outside, thinking. Rin came and sat down by my feet watching.  
  
"Rin," I whispered, "what happened?"  
  
"Well, Master Sessho-maru, you remember that you had gone back home to visit your mother and brother, and told Jaken and me to stay in this time. When you didn't come back for a few days, we got worried, so we went to your mother's house to find you. On our way we saw you by a small pond with your brother, so we hid in the bushes. Once you had knocked your brother out, we went to you. But you were twitching fiercely, so Jaken gave you some calming mixture and we carried you back here. You've been unconciouse since. I was really worried!"  
  
I looked down into her child like eyes. I noticed something different about her. She wasn't a child any longer, without my noticing she had grown into a young lady, a very beautiful young lady.  
  
I put a finger to her chin and raised her head, "You were worried?"  
  
She blushed and looked down, smiling a little to herself.  
  
Then I remembered what she had said and snapped back to reality, "Rin, why was I 'twitching'?"  
  
Rin's face paled and she started to shudder. He eyes became wide and she stared out the window in horror.  
  
"Rin, what is it?" I asked then turned to the window.  
  
"You!"  
  
The fire cracking was the only sound in the little hut. That and Inuyasha's ragged breathing. Kagome was so tired, she had stayed up all night watching over him. But there was no sign of him waking up any time soon.  
  
Kaide walked over to Kagome and touched her shoulder, scaring her awake.  
  
"What! What happened? Did he wake up?" she looked around and her eyes became alert.  
  
"No child, he still be asleep. Why don't ye go to bed. I'll watch over him and let you know right away if he wakes up."  
  
"I guess I should sleep," Kagome said and her eyes became droopy again. She lay down on a mat near the fire and curled up with a blanket. In no time she was sound asleep.  
  
Kaide went to Inuyasha and continued to wet his forehead and chest.  
  
A hand clasped her wrist and scared the wits out of her. She dropped the wet cloth and stopped herself from screaming when she realized that it was Inuyasha's hand on her wrist. She leaned foreward to see if he was awake, but he was still unconciouse. 'At least he's moving' she thought. 'He'll be awake in no time.'  
  
"Kikiyo," he whispered through cracked lips. He was so thirsty, but he didn't have enough strength to lift his head and call for help, let alone get out of his bounds.  
  
Slowly she appeared before him, swaying in the wind. Her mood had become dark and angry since her plot had failed and she still remained in this hell.  
  
As he looked at her he wondered how they came to this. They were so young and foolish back then. Maybe they still were... He remembered how his heart jumped when he saw her face, her smile, touched her hand, ran a finger across her cheek, kissed her lips...  
  
'I loved her so much, how could we have come to this? This is foolish!'  
  
"Kikiyo... I love you..." tears fell from his eyes and he sank to the ground crying.  
  
She slowly kneeled beside him and stroked his hair. "It's okay my love, everything will be all right now. We have each other and that's all we need. We're together again..."  
  
He looked up to see her smiling. But it wasn't the gentle smile he remembered. It was twisted with jelousy and madness.  
  
Then he realized he wasn't crying for himself and his torment, for his mother, or even for Kikiyo, he was crying for Kagome.  
  
'I can't die here with this monster. She doesn't love me! If she did she wouldn't be doing this.'  
  
"You're not Kikiyo!" he shouted, causing her to back away slowly.  
  
"Leave me alone you vile temptress! I don't love you and I never will! You're nothing but a pathetic who can't handle being alone and rejected. Well guess what, that's all you'll ever be, ALONE! Now let me GO!"  
  
He summoned up all his strength and broke the bonds that were holding him back. He burst free of his torment in an envelope of light and left hell with Kikiyo's scream trailing behind him.  
  
'I'm free...' was all he could think about. The only thing guiding him back to reality was the thought of Kagome. He was in pain beyond belief but he didn't care, all he could think about was seeing Kagome again...  
  
He awoke and found himself drenched in water and sweat, still clutching Kaide's wrist.  
  
"Inuyasha! You're awa-"  
  
"Where's is she?"  
  
"Where's wh-"  
  
"Kagome! I need to see Kagome!"  
  
"Settle down Inuyasha! She's sleeping by the fire!" Kaide pointed to her sleeping form.  
  
Slowly, and with great pain, Inuyasha got up and tried to walk. He fell to his knees instantly, but didn't let that stop him. He crawled the rest of the way over to her.  
  
Gently he rolled her onto her back and gazed at her face. He was lost in her beauty and perfectly content to just watch her sleep for the rest of eternity. He carefully stroked her cheek and along her jawbone. Then he brushed his thumb across her lips and smiled to himself when she smiled in her dreams. He bent down and kissed her fore head. He tried not to scream as shooting pain ran up his back.  
  
Kagome's eye's flittered open and it took her a moment to realize who was sitting by her. When she saw it was Inuyasha she sat up and wrapped her arms around his neck. Tears soaked his hair. She was too shocked for words. She thought her heart would burst from overjoy.  
  
After a long time they parted, and put their foreheads together; their noses slightly touching.  
  
"I thought I'd never see you again..." he whispered, then smiled. "You were the only thing keeping me from..." he stroked her cheek again and brought his hand to rest around her neck.  
  
"I was so scared, I thought I'd never get to ... to..." a tear fell onto his sleeve. They pulled apart slightly and he looked earnestly into her eyes. She had never seen him so serious.  
  
"I will never, ever, leave you." He said, his eyes never left hers.  
  
"But-"he cut her off with a kiss. She was surprised, but let herself sink into the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her close with his arms around her waist.  
  
When they parted, Kagome said, "I have wanted to do that for the longest time."  
  
The End 


End file.
